“I’ll have an order of anxiety, with a side of existential panic.”

I’m not a potential criminal, but I can’t help feeling like the psycho killer in the song of the same name by the Talking Heads:

I can’t seem to face up to the facts
I’m tense and nervous and I can’t relax
I can’t sleep ’cause my bed’s on fire
Don’t touch me I’m a real live wire

I’ve been hospitalized three separate times in the past month–once for a pulmonary embolism (blood clot in my lung) and twice for cellulitis–a bacterial infection in my leg. The infections were likely caused by a combination of my chronic lymphedema (swelling and inflammation caused by a badly damaged lymph system) and the procedure I had done for the embolism–which utilized a tube inserted into the leg to administer clot busting drugs.

Anyway, I can’t help but think the worst. My appointment with the hematologist to determine if I have a hereditary predisposition to clotting has led me to daydream about all the terrible diseases my body is harboring. After thinking about my symptoms, I self-diagnosed myself with one disease and I am STILL only partially reassured after some google research showed I have about a one in 250,000 chance (0.04%) of having that condition. (My medical degree is apparently from WebMD.)

So, breathe, let yourself get stronger, walk the dogs everyday and truly believe that every little thing’s going to be alright.

“As You Walk You Make Your Own Road”

Yeah, yeah–Happy Holidays etc. But, more importantly, just as when Public Enemy famously urged us to fight the power: “let’s get down to business/ mental self defense and fitness.”

Our first action must be to combat the direct and immediate threats that will start on January 3rd, 2017 when the new Congress is seated: repeal of Obamacare, block granting of Medicaid, privatization of Medicare, deportation of the undocumented, opposition to Trump department secretary appointments and new Supreme Court Justice, repeal of Dodd Frank and threats to the CFPB, defunding of Planned Parenthood, overturning of Roe v. Wade and the gutting of Clean Water and Clean Air Acts.

There is much to do to, and all of it is important. The future of our nation surely hangs in the balance–the promise of the New Deal of the 1930’s, the dreams of the Great Society of the 1960’s and all the future goals of an American society striving for freedom, justice and equality for all are under direct attack. It may seem daunting, but as the Spanish poet Antonio Machado wrote: “As you walk, you make your own road.”

All opponents of the Trump/Ryan GOP have to play defense on the most important safety net items NOW. If Ryan, Trump and the GOP are successful at, for instance, materially changing the entire structure of Medicare to privately managed accounts run through the financial services industry–rather than a stated public entitlement–that entitlement will never be brought back: not in our lifetimes, not in our children’s lifetimes, maybe never.

As if that isn’t enough of a project, there needs to be a second wave of activism focusing on the weaknesses of our political structure:

• We need to roll back the GOP’s voter suppression programs and fight for automatic and universal registration for all–regardless of race, offender status and any other groups targeted for exclusion from suffrage.
• We must make election day a national holiday and day off.
• The Democrats must invest in a robust outreach and organizing operation geared toward young people and those red states where changing ethnic demographics can put a state into electoral play.
• We must eliminate the Electoral College.

The overall political goals are threefold:

• More Democratic wins in state legislatures in order to have the ability to redraw election districts after the 2020 Census, eliminating the kind of gerrymandering of U.S. Congressional districts that currently allows the R’s to receive fewer votes than the D’s, yet still control more seats.
• Take back Democratic control of the U.S. Senate in 2018 in order to give us breathing room from the onslaught of right-wing Trump/Ryan legislation.
• Defeat Cheeto Nazi in 2020.

 

A good place to start your preparations is to read and reflect upon the report pulled together by former Congressional staffers entitled: Indivisible: A Practical Guide For Resisting The Trump Agenda. As the report’s authors state in the introduction:

Donald Trump is the biggest popular vote loser in history to ever call himself President- Elect. In spite of the fact that he has no mandate, he will attempt to use his congressional majority to reshape America in his own racist, authoritarian, and corrupt image. If progressives are going to stop this, we must stand indivisibly opposed to Trump and the members of Congress who would do his bidding. Together, we have the power to resist — and we have the power to win.

A Piece Of Me

I had a biopsy done today.  “Just routine” they say.  I guess I’ll find out next week.  I’ve reached the age where procedures are more numerous and hence often routine. Knock wood.

Postscript: no problems!

I’m Feeling The Bern In The NY Presidential Primary

 

I’m doing the right thing and voting for Bernie tomorrow in the New York primary–first time since 1992 that my vote will have any impact on the eventual Democratic Presidential nominee! Come to think of it, I voted against a Clinton back then, too!

I Drank Cheap Beer And Heard All These Great Local Bands During My Misspent Youth

012105 STAGE 12 DL POA FILE 2004 photo by Suzanne Dunn 7/26/98 Blues guitarist/singer Roosevelt Dean performs at the Dinosaur Bar B Que tonight.

Bill Clinton, Hillary’s Campaign and #BlackLivesMatter

 

Former President Bill Clinton’s “spirited defense”  of his 1994 Crime Bill and his record on civil rights during an event for his wife’s Presidential campaign was inspired by either his ego or as a calculated effort at appealing to white voters that Hillary’s campaign is currently not attracting.  In either case, it was a misstep–one that the Clinton’s are already walking back.

25 Reasons To Celebrate The 25th Anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act

25. Lifts on all Centro buses make it possible for passengers with disabilities to take public transit. (scroll to pages 6 and 7)

24. Closed caption glasses at Regal Cinemas allow deaf movie goers to enjoy watching movies in theaters.

23. Newly constructed buildings open to the public must be made accessible and the existing public spaces are required to be retrofitted for access where possible.